Electric time-controller.



H. K. WOOD.

ELEOTRIO TIME CONTROLLER.

AIPLIGATION rim-:D Nov.5,1n3.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

'.IU A, HALL BERRY, 0F NEW rom, N. r,

ELECTRIC TIME-CONTROLLER.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Feb. 16, 1909.

Application filed November 5, 1903. Serial No. 179,915.

To al( Aiff/wm 'it may concern:

lic it known that l. lli'nlen'r K. llVoon, :i vilixen ot' the lffnited States, residing' al Hartford, in the county of Hartford und tilnte o1' Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements "in Electric Tisnc-(,lontrollcrs, of which the following is a s ieciiication.

"his invention relates to Switches em ployed for nntoniaticnlly closing and opening electric circuits at predetermined` times, and eolnprising cloclemechanism for rotet ing a member for controlling the switchopern ing devices.

(,)ne object of the invention is'the rovi- 'sion with clock-mechanism of :1n eeotric switch whereby one olf the actuati'n arbore of the clock-movement (preferably the arbor ofthe sirikingmoven'ientspring) will act directlj. on the switch without the interven- :tion of gears and spindles.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device whereby the initial point of movement ol the switch msiy be ninintni-netl, so that no matter how for the provision of means swilch-operutin r spring may be wound the writeln-arbor w11 be under the same initial tension as will be hereinafte.l described.

A fnrt'her object of the invention is the for directly connecting the :arbor of the sprin of the stritingnio'venient with the switci, so that. liability of torsion wiil he avoided.

Further objects of the invention will be hereinafter stated.

In the drawings, in which similar characters denote similar parts. Figure 1 is a front View of one forni of clock-mechanism wit-h which my invention may be employed.

Fig. 2 is a side view thereof, and illustratesl the coiperative relationshi i oi my invention therewith. Fig. iis :l ractional vertical section on line 3, 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a 'view similar to Fig. 3 illustrafiting a modified tion; and Fig. 5 villustrates another construction of the mechanism shown 1x1-Fig. 3.

Although any suitable vlorflg mrchanisn'i may be employed I have shown an ordinary marine-movement' comprising time and stx'ikingtrains, the latter controlling the switch, which is to be automatically aetnated.

In the iliustratlons given the ti1ne-trnin is designated in e general vay by A and the striking-train by B, und these trains are of usual construction. The time-train compriees :i springactnated gear 10 in engagement with :i lantern pinior 1l on an arbor 1.2, which carries e gear 13. Meshing into the gear 13 is n pinion 14 on an arbor 15 having a gear 16 driving a pinion 17 on arhor 18, the movement of which is transmittcd, through a gear 19 and inion 20, to an arbor 21 carrying a gear 22 1n mesh with a pinion 23 on a spind e 24. This spindle carries an escapement-wheel 25 with whic the usual paw] 26 alternately engages,-seid pewl being secured to un arbor 27 carrying an rm having e segment 28 meshing wit a spur-wheel 29 on a spindle 30, on which the balance-wheel 31 is mounted,-said wheel being controlled by a spring 32 (see Fig. 2) in the usual Way.

Mounted on the arbor 15 above mentioned is a- Jinionl33 in engagement with a gear 34, whic is journaled on a stationary stud 35 and ectuates n pinion 36 meshing with the dial-gear 37, the organization of the mechanism thus for described being such as to rotate the gear 37 once during each period of 24'hours, und with it th'` arbor 38 carrying the dial or disk 39, the face of which is d1- vided into twenty-four equal parts, each replesenting one hour, and sub-divided into four equal sections to correspond with quarter hours. At the sub-division marks the dial 39 Ais provided with perforations 40 adapted -to receive lock-pins 41, 42 on arms 43, 44, of trippinr devices 45, 46, respectively, one ot' whic will actimte the switch mechanism lo establish the electric current, while the other device 46 will actuate the switch :for the purpose of opening the c ir cuit.

Any suitable form of switch may be employed and the mechanism for actuating said switch shown in the drawings coniprises the spring 5() of the strikingtrain, one end of which is held on a rod 51 forming a. art. of the framework, and the 'other end o which is secured to an arbor 52, earrying o ratchet 53 rotatable therewith. Tht 'power of the spring 5() is transmitted 'through a pnwl 54 in engagement with the rrtohet 53, to n gear which meshes with e driving a pinion 50 on` an arbor 60. Secured to the pinion 59 and rotating there with is a gear 61 meshing with a pinion 62 ou a spindle 63 which also carries a gear 6l to drive the pinion 65 secured upon an arbor 66, upon which the usual an 67 is mounted.

Secured to the main gear 55, by posts 70, is an index-disk 71, having in its periphery a series of radial slots 72 preferably four in number, to permit a tceler 73 to drop thereinto and rock a spindle 74 sulliciently to bring the free end of a stop-arm 75, into the path of a pin 76 carried by the gear (51 above mentioned, thus locking said gear and, consequently, the entire gcarLrain, against further action. The mechanism is released by the time-train in thefollowing manner: The tripper 45 raises, during its, revolution around the axis 38, a pin 80 'which is secured to an arm 81, pivoted at 82, and which, in turn, engages a lever 83 secured to a spindle S11 which carries a stopdever 85, the free end of which is bent upward and adapted to project into tlli path of the pin 76 above referred to. .uring its rising movement the lever 85 comes into contact with the rearwardly-bent end 86 of a lever 86 secured to the spindle 74,'. which latter will then be rocked sniciently, to Withdraw the feeler73 from the index-disk 71; and furthermore, to disengage the stop-arm 75 from the pin 76, so that now the spring 50 may actuate the entire gear-train: until the pin 76 yabuts against the stop-lever 85, whereb the train-movement is a ain arrested, an at W'hich time a cam 9 with the arbor 60 will be so positioned as lq maintain a lever 91, which is secured tothe spindle 74, in raised position,and thus prcvent the stop-arm 75 from fallino into the path of the pin 76. As soon as the tripper 45 has passed from underneath the pin 80, the arm S3 may drop back to its normal position, thus causing the stop-arm 85 to release the pin 76. and hence the. entire geartrain, which will be stopped' again as soon as the feeler 73 enters the next succeeding` notch 72 and thus brin s the stop-arm 75 into the path of the revo ving-pin 76.

While the above described mechanism is not novel, my invention comprises as' one of its features the combination, with such a mechanism, of a switch, generally known as a snap switch in such a manner that all loss of movement on accountrof back-lash in the usual gearing will be avoided, the organization being such as to operate the switch-arbor directly from the main-spring arbor of the actuating mechanism without gears.

The switch shown in the drawin s com* rises a base 100, shown held on t e back rame-plate F by legs 101 and screws 102,

although it may be otherwise supported. The switch-arbor is designated by 103, and

rotatable' carries an arm 104 for engaging one end of a torsional. snap-spring 105, the other end of whicli is secured to a contact maker 106 normally held against rotation by a lockingmember or ratchet 107, the organization and operation of the several parts being,r well known. The forward end of the arbor 103 is screw-threaded to engage a similarlythreaded aperture 110 of a hub 111 forming a part of a disk 112, the axis ol bolli the switch-arbor 103 and the hub 111 being in alinemcnt with that of the striking-apringr arbor 52. Carried by the disk 112 is i1 pawl 113 in engagement with a ratchet 114 the hub of which enters a chamber in hub 11. and is secured to the arbor 52, and which thus rotates' the disk 112, and hence the switch- -arbor 103, for an amount equal to one-fourth of a turn or degrees, at every release of the switch-actuatiug mechanism.

In order to prevent any backward movement of the switch arbor While the springarbor is rotated to Wind the spring, the disk 112 may be provided with sei-rations or teeth V115 which engage a pawl 116, pivoted at 117 to the frame ll. When the teeth .115 are 'continuous around .periphery of the disk 112, as shown in Fig. 3, care must be evercised when winding the spring 50 not to disarrange the proper relationship of the switclrarbor 103, and the spring-arbor 52, for the following reason: viz-By referring to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the ratchet 53 of the Winding-arbor 52 is provided with sixteen teeth, and that, consequently, the arbor 52 and said ratchet 523, when actuated by a key or otherwise, must be rotated for anare equal to 22% degrees in order to per mit the pawl 54 to engage the next succeed` ing tooth of saidfratchet. During the winding-operation the disk 1.12 is held stationary by the pawl 116 which engages the teeth 115,

`and the ratchet 114 will bc rotated backward beneath the awl 113, as will be readily understood. ow, inasmuch as the ratchet 114 has thirty-two teeth it follows that when the Winding-ratchet 53 is rotated one tooth, the

`ratchet 114 must necessarily be rotated two teeth, thus leaving the disk 112, and hence the switch-arbor 103 undisturbed, the spring 50 only having received more Winding-tension. However, ysince when winding,lr the mechanism it cannot be expected that the winding'- arbor will always be turned exactly 22,1 degrees or a multiple thereof, there is liability of disarranging the relationship between the parts in the following manner. Supposing that the arbor 52 should be rotated only about 15 degrees, the ratchet 1,14 will have been turned backward suiliciently to canse its next succeedingr tooth to engage the pawl 113, While the Wmdinff-ratchet 53 has not,` however, been sullicientily rotated to bringite n ext succeeding,1r tooth into engagement with the pawl 54 when the arbor 52 is released 1o the ratchet 114, or 11iA de if this same operation should be re point of movement under tension, and hence it is permit the pawii to engage the next tooth.

return movementanother tooth of the ratchet i A5` 114 will engage the pawl 113 and t'urn the disk '112 until the winding-arbor has a ain arrived at its original position, at w ich timethe disk 112 will have'been advanced a distance equal to the space of one tooth of ees, so that now the switch-arbor is 11i` egrees in advance of pawl 54, as areV also the gear 55 to which the ratchet-wheel 53V is attached, and the index-disk 71. It is, of course, evident that l cated,

the switch-arbor 103 would be rotate intermittently and `by degrees, provided the strength of the spring 50 exceeds that of the switch-actuating sprmg 105, and without in 20 any way changin the original position of, or

releasing, the switch-actuating mechanism.

As above stated, my invention has for one of its objects the provision of/a device whereby the proper relationship between the initial of the switch-arbor 103 relative to the actuating mechanism or more specifically speaking, to the indexin -disk 71 shall be constantly maintained, and 1n Fig. 4 of the drawing there is shown a construction 30 p'hereby the objectionable feature above explai'ned will be o'iercome, the disk 112 having inits periphery alternate toothed and lain sections, and operating as follows: As stated, the switch snap-spring 105 is always evident that when the winding-arbor 52 is rotated, the ratchet 114 will move in the direction of arrow a, and, inasmuchas the tension on the snap-sprmgltl tends to throw the switch- 40 arl-)oranti consequently the disk 112 in a similar direction it follows that said disk will `more with the ratchet 111 until the rawl 11G engages the peripheral teeth 115 of the disk. after one of the blank-portions 45 `1.2() ,has passed beneath said pawl. r[he blank-sections are four in number to correspond with the angular movements of 00 degrees each of the switch-arbor, and the length of each blank-section is such to disk 112 and its pawl 113 to follow the movement of ratchet 11i: this backward movement of thc disk 112 being arrested just about thc time when ,the ratchet .3'2 has been turned sniiicientl)v to'.i ermit the the relative position ofthe purrl 113 and the ratchet 114 has not in any war been altered: while. onthe other hand. thc position ot the disk 112 relative to index-disk 1'1 has been slightly varied and the initial worhingtcu-- f-ion oE thc spring 105 is proportionately he; than before. Again .-upposing. that the wiluhng-arhor 52 and the ratchet arc rotated for an amount lcs-L than onc1oraii-1hcn nower in the spring lionne.

`caching the limit of such movement as controlled b v the length of thi` blank-section 12() in its periphery, thc pa wl 11G then riding on the blank-portion 120. and upon the release or return oi the arbor 591e its original position, the disk 11:2 will. dur to the excess of 50 over the spring 105, be advanced against the action of said spring 105. until it also has arrived at its former osition,.and the ori final relationship of the disk 112 and the in ex-disk 71 remains cons uently unchanged.

t will be apparent that provide indexing means in connection with time-controlled mechanism and with switch mechanism to assure a defi-nite relation between said mech- :misma and the mutilated toothed periphery disk 112 in con'unction with the pawl 111' presents a simpe and convenient form of such indexing means. A

In Fig. 5 I have illustrated a construction whereby all variation in the relationship hetween the indexing-device and the switcharbor at the commencement of the switchactnatin operation is entirely avoided, and it is evident that such a result may be` accomplished by providing the same nurriber of teeth in both of the ratchets 53 andjI14,

54 and 113 with said ratchc, respectively,

vancing-actionlon the part ofthe disk 112 can take place unless the actuating-mechanism is released and the spring 50, therefore. becomes active in revolving the pawl 54 and hence in rotating the arbors 52 and 103.

It will be clear from what has been' hereinbefore stated that I provide two coaxial coperating devices one of which is operable with the time controlled mechanism. by ng rigidly fastened to an arbor thereof whilt'f the other is operative with the switch mechanism preferably by being rigidly connected with the arbor thereof. These devices are of such character that when thc time controlled mechanism is moved in one direction they are effective for transferring motion or power while when said time-controlled mechanism is moved in the opposite direction they are ineffective as power-transmitting factors. One of said devices may consist of aratchet Such as 114 while the other may consist of the disk 112 in combination with the pawl 113 carriedtherebv, the said disk and pa wl constituting in effect thc disk 112 will more backward without l far as the transference of poweris concerned a unitariv device.

Changes may be made in the manner of diret-tl)Y connecting thc switch-arbor and the windinJ-:irhor of the spring. and other kinds of electric-switches may be employed withont departure from thc invention. So too, other kind-` of clock-inovement may be sub- -litued for the marine-movement shown, nd the po'wcr-controllcd spindle for dipreferablyin which ease the engagement of the pa'wls' will take place simnltaneol y, and no ada.,

switch may be actuated rectlvactnating the and may be changed 1n by different means, location, it' desired.

Having ihns described my invention, what I claim is:

i. The combination ol time-contiolled nn'chanism, a switch, and a pair of coaxial, rotary dei ieee` 'or transitm'ring the cf'lcct of the time-controlled mechanism to said switch when said time controlled mechanism moved in one direction, said pair of device-s being inciter-.tive when the time-cimtrolled mechanism is moved in the opposite direlfion.

i). The combination of time controlled mechanism having an arbor, a ratchet-wheel fastened lo said arbor, switch mechanism having an arbor, a disk fastened to said last mentioned arbor, and a pawl mounted on the disk and engaging the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, the latter. when the time-controlled mechanism is moved in one direction serving to operate the pawl and thereby the disk and switch-mechanism arbor and being ineliective to canse such operation when the timecontrolled mechanism is moved in the opposite direction.

3. The combination of time-controlled mechanism having an arbor, a ratchet-Wheel fastened to said arbor, aswitch havin an arbol", and a. pawl connected. Withthe last mentioned arbor and engaging the teeth .of said ratchet wheel. y

4. The combination of time -controiled mechanism, a switch, and mechanism for transferring the etfect of the time-controlled mechanism to the switch, including a pair of l i i i i l i i coaxial, rotary devices effective when the time-controlled meehamsm is moved in one direction and ineffective when said timecontrolled mechanism is moved in the opposite direction, said transferring mechanism also having associated therewith means for obtaining a definite relation between the time-controlled mechanism and switch.

5. The combination of time-controlled nnchanism, a disk provided with peripheral teeth and with plain portions, a pawl carried by the framework for engaging the peripheral portion of said disk, a switch operable by the disk, and means for transtori-ing the effect of the time-controlled mechanism to said disk.

lhe combination of time-controlled mechanism having an arbor, a ratchet-wheel fastened to said arbor, a disk having peripheral toothed and plain portions, a pawl on the 'lfrm'neworln for engaging the peripheral portion of said disk, a second pawl carried by said disk and engaging said ratchetwheel, and switch mechanism operable by said disk.

7. The combination of time-controlled mechanism, a switch, a rotary member for operating said switch, having plain'and 'toothed portions, a pawl coperative with said plain and toothed portions, a ratchetwheel operable by the time-controlled mechanism, and a pawl mounted on said rotar member and operable by the ratchet-wheel when the timecontrolled mechanism is moved in one direction and inoperable thereby when said time-controlled mechanism is moved in the opposite direction.

8. The combination with time-controlled mechanism comprising time and striking trains, and means for controlling the strik` ing train by the time train, said striking train having an arbor, of a switch, and a pair of cooperative devices for transferring the effect of said arbor to said switch when said arbor is moved in one direction, said pair of devices being inefe'ctive when the arbor is moved in the opposite direction.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses 4HUBERT K. WOOD. Witnesses WMuI-l". BLoDGE'rT, FRANCES E. BLODGETT. 

